Cisco Cisco Computer Telephony Integration Option 8.5
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CTI Product Description Guide for Cisco Contact Center Enterprise
CTI OS Release 8.5(1)
Chapter 1 What is CTI?
Leveraging CTI Application Event Flow
Screen Pop
The most common CTI application is a screen pop. In a screen pop, the customer service platform is
provided with customer information at the arrival of a phone call and begins processing the customer’s
transaction at the same time as the communication begins between the customer and the agent. This
transfer of customer information is called the call context information: a rich set of customer-specific
data that travels with the call throughout the enterprise.
provided with customer information at the arrival of a phone call and begins processing the customer’s
transaction at the same time as the communication begins between the customer and the agent. This
transfer of customer information is called the call context information: a rich set of customer-specific
data that travels with the call throughout the enterprise.
For example, a screen pop application for a cellular telephone company might be triggered based on the
arrival of a phone call. It uses the customer ANI (automated number identification, or calling line ID) to
do a database look up to retrieve the customer’s account information and displays this customer record
for the agent. By the time the agent can say “Thank you for calling ABC Telephony Company,” the
account record is on his screen and he is ready to service the customer’s request.
arrival of a phone call. It uses the customer ANI (automated number identification, or calling line ID) to
do a database look up to retrieve the customer’s account information and displays this customer record
for the agent. By the time the agent can say “Thank you for calling ABC Telephony Company,” the
account record is on his screen and he is ready to service the customer’s request.
Agent State Control
Similar to a screen pop, CTI application control of agent state is a way to improve the agent’s workflow
by integrating the service delivery platform with the communications media. A CTI application enabled
for agent state can set the agent’s current work state according to the type of work being performed.
by integrating the service delivery platform with the communications media. A CTI application enabled
for agent state can set the agent’s current work state according to the type of work being performed.
For example, a sales application might automatically send an agent to a wrap-up or after-call work state
when the customer contact terminates. The agent could then enter wrap up data about that transaction or
customer inquiry and (subject to a timer) have his state changed automatically back to available when
the wrap up work has been completed.
when the customer contact terminates. The agent could then enter wrap up data about that transaction or
customer inquiry and (subject to a timer) have his state changed automatically back to available when
the wrap up work has been completed.
Third-Party Call Control
The most advanced CTI integration projects seek a total integration of the customer service platform
with the communications media. In third-party call control applications, the actual control over the agent
phone or other media is initiated via the software application, and coordinated with application screens
or views.
with the communications media. In third-party call control applications, the actual control over the agent
phone or other media is initiated via the software application, and coordinated with application screens
or views.
For example, a financial services application might perform the transfer of a phone call to a speed-dial
number designated by the application itself. In this kind of scenario, the agent could click one button to
determine the appropriate destination for the transfer, save the application’s customer context, and
transfer the call to the other agent.
number designated by the application itself. In this kind of scenario, the agent could click one button to
determine the appropriate destination for the transfer, save the application’s customer context, and
transfer the call to the other agent.
Leveraging CTI Application Event Flow
The first step to developing a CTI-enabled application is to understand the events and requests that are
at play within the CTI environment. Asynchronous events are messages sent to applications that indicate
an event to which the application can respond (for example, BeginCallEvent). Requests are the
mechanism that the application uses to request that a desired behavior happen (for example,
TransferCall).
at play within the CTI environment. Asynchronous events are messages sent to applications that indicate
an event to which the application can respond (for example, BeginCallEvent). Requests are the
mechanism that the application uses to request that a desired behavior happen (for example,
TransferCall).